OCT News and Research

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Mitochondrial DNA copy number appears to be predictive of sudden cardiac death, heart attacks

Johns Hopkins researchers report that the level, or "copy number," of mitochondrial DNA--genetic information stored not in a cell's nucleus but in the body's energy-creating mitochondria--is a novel and distinct biomarker that is able to predict the risk of heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths a decade or more before they happen.

11 Oct 2017

Novel midday bright light therapy decreases symptoms of depression in bipolar patients

Daily exposure to bright white light at midday significantly decreased symptoms of depression and increased functioning in people with bipolar disorder, a recent Northwestern Medicine study found.

11 Oct 2017

Duke researchers unravel how fever in early pregnancy increases risk for heart, facial birth defects

Researchers have known for decades that fevers in the first trimester of pregnancy increase risk for some heart defects and facial deformities such as cleft lip or palate. Exactly how this happens is unclear. Scientists have debated whether a virus or other infection source causes the defects, or if fever alone is the underlying problem.

10 Oct 2017

Researchers find gaps in knowledge about causes of symptoms in dementia patients

Behavioral and psychological symptoms are difficult for dementia patients and their caregivers, but despite research efforts, there are still gaps in knowledge about what causes or precipitates these symptoms, according to researchers.

10 Oct 2017

Flexible sensors can measure rhythmic contractions of the digestive tract

Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women's Hospital have built a flexible sensor that can be rolled up and swallowed. Upon ingestion, the sensor adheres to the stomach wall or intestinal lining, where it can measure the rhythmic contractions of the digestive tract.

10 Oct 2017

Alzheimer's gene can protect against and promote neurological damage

Scientists drilling down to the molecular roots of Alzheimer's disease have encountered a good news/bad news scenario. A major player is a gene called TREM2, mutations of which can substantially raise a person's risk of the disease.

9 Oct 2017

Researchers discover mutation that amplifies capabilities of tumor-suppressor protein

Cancer researchers have long hailed p53, a tumor-suppressor protein, for its ability to keep unruly cells from forming tumors. But for such a highly studied protein, p53 has hidden its tactics well.

9 Oct 2017

Yale scientists unravel molecular mechanism of breast cancer risk gene

More than 20 years after scientists revealed that mutations in the BRCA1 gene predispose women to breast cancer, Yale scientists have pinpointed the molecular mechanism that allows those mutations to wreak their havoc.

9 Oct 2017

UC Davis professor wins NIH award to develop ‘smart’ immune cells for cancer therapies

Assistant Professor Sean Collins, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences, has received a $1.5 million award from the National Institutes of Health to advance the development of "smart" immune cells for therapies to treat cancer and other diseases.

6 Oct 2017

Eyes fixed on California as governor ponders inking drug price transparency bill

Insurers, hospitals, and health advocates are waiting for Gov. Jerry Brown to deal the drug lobby a rare defeat, by signing legislation that would force pharmaceutical companies to justify big price hikes on drugs in California.

6 Oct 2017

New cell therapy restores movement in people with paralyzing spinal cord injuries

Four of six people with paralyzing spinal cord injuries who were treated with a new cell therapy have recovered two or more motor levels on at least one side, new study results show.

6 Oct 2017

Researchers pinpoint genetic drivers of diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer, but the diagnosis belies a wildly diverse and little understood genetic foundation for the disease that hampers successful treatment.

5 Oct 2017

Podcast: ‘What the Health?’ Congress chips away at health insurance for kids

Oct. 1 marked the official end to this year's effort to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act. But the start of fiscal 2018 also marked the end of the federal authorization for the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program.

4 Oct 2017

CRISPR-Gold corrects gene mutations in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have engineered a new way to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology inside cells and have demonstrated in mice that the technology can repair the mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a severe muscle-wasting disease.

4 Oct 2017

OCT News and Research

Mitochondrial DNA copy number appears to be predictive of sudden cardiac death, heart attacks

Novel midday bright light therapy decreases symptoms of depression in bipolar patients

Duke researchers unravel how fever in early pregnancy increases risk for heart, facial birth defects

Researchers find gaps in knowledge about causes of symptoms in dementia patients

Flexible sensors can measure rhythmic contractions of the digestive tract

Alzheimer's gene can protect against and promote neurological damage

Researchers discover mutation that amplifies capabilities of tumor-suppressor protein

Yale scientists unravel molecular mechanism of breast cancer risk gene

UC Davis professor wins NIH award to develop ‘smart’ immune cells for cancer therapies

Eyes fixed on California as governor ponders inking drug price transparency bill

New cell therapy restores movement in people with paralyzing spinal cord injuries

Researchers pinpoint genetic drivers of diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Podcast: ‘What the Health?’ Congress chips away at health insurance for kids

CRISPR-Gold corrects gene mutations in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Researchers provide new insights into how calcium signals trigger wound healing

Liquid biopsy can reveal response to checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapies

Podcast: ‘What the health?’ Repeal and replace is dead. What now?

Congress’ cold shoulder sends shivers through community health centers

The GOP repeal bill is imploding. Here are 5 things left hanging on Obamacare

FDA approves scope with disposable part aimed at reducing superbug infections

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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